Having used EMADs for years, I decided I was after a change. As I was going for Controlled Sounds on my toms and have used Coated CS Dots on my snares for as long as I can remember, I decided to plump for the relatively new Powerstroke 3 with Dot.
This is a great head for those looking for the feel of a single-ply kick head, but with a bit more control than a run of the mill coated Ambassador or equivalent. The dot and powerstroke strip around the edge of the head act as dampers so you can get a lovely controlled tone whilst still appearing 'open'. I pair this with a felt strip across the resonant head for that extra bit of 'thump'.
As with all coated heads, the coating adds some warmth to the tone and takes away some beater attack- so if you're after a more in-your-face, modern sound i'd either go for something like the Evans EMAD clear, or the clear version of this head (which also includes a Remo kick patch). It's also worth mentioning that this head has it's dot mounted on the rear, whereas the clear counterpart has a forward attached dot. Although i've had problems with the coating on other Remo heads in the past, this one is holding up well after three months of regular play, without any reinforcement patches.
Overall, i've been very pleased with this head- it's especially great for rock, pop and ska music!
